About Greenways Travel Club
How long has your company been in business?
Tomas Leskovjan started Greenways Travel Club in 1996. We specialize in active vacations along the Central Europe and were the first company to arrange tours along the Prague – Vienna Greenways.
How is your company structured?
Our office is based in Mikulov, located in the winegrowing countryside of the South Moravia in the Czech Republic. Here you can call us and email us your inquiries. We cooperate with many experienced guides living throughout Central Europe. You can book a tour directly with us or through our partners in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
What distinguishes your travel company from others?
Experience and the level of detailed knowledge of our region. We arrange tours in the place where we live and hence know best. We do not rest on our laurels and our tours are being constantly developed since 1996.
Can I get some references from your clients?
Of course you can. Email us or call us which particular route are you interested in –info@walkingcentraleurope.com and we will try to find someone willing to share his experience with you. If we do not succeed in this, we will put you in contact with someone who travelled with us on any of our tours. What may also help is to check out the reports our clients listed on our Reference page.
Can I get Med-Evac insurance through you?
Unfortunately this is one of few things we cannot help you with and you need to arrange by yourselves. To find more about our and your responsibilities please Read our Terms & Conditions.
What happens with my money if Greenways Travel Club goes bankrupt or into insolvency?
The European Union requires all tour operators to have tour operator´s insurance. We comply with this requirement so you will get back any funds you paid to us in the unlikely event of us going bankrupt or into insolvency.
Can you help me with booking the flights?
Unfortunately not, but we can help you to find the best way how to get to the starting point of the tour. Just email us your travel plans and we will come back to you with the advice. Moreover Prague, Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest are cities that are covered by many cheap airlines and hence it is easy to get there. You can also browse on the online train and bus timetables for countries in Central Europe.
What exactly does this „Central Europe“ mean?
It is only a matter of perception. Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary are considered to be Central Europe not only by people living there, but also National Tourist Offices are promoting this label. We consider Bulgaria and Romania to be “Eastern” Europe.
Central European walking tours in general
Why Central Europe?
Where else so many marvelous points of interest are to be found in such a „small“ area? The density of places to visit is just extraordinary. Also the infrastructure of walking paths is very dense and sophisticated here. This arises from the fact that walking has always been the most common and natural way of travelling and people have always tried to make their lives as easy as possible, including transports from one point to another.
What standard of accommodation I can expect?
We use a minimum standard of comfortable, 3-4 star hotels and pensions on our tours. They are centrally located so you are close to points of interest. Some hotels are in charming historical buildings. All rooms have a private bathroom so you can freshen up after your cycling day.
Can you help me with the extra nights arrangements prior and/or after the tour?
Yes we can. Get in touch with us and we will provide the details of hotels we typically use in a particular city. We cannot confirm the exact price before we actually book the hotel, but we can estimate the price for the extra nights.
If my time for the tour is limited, can you prepare a shortened, customized itinerary for me?
In most cases we can. Just email us –info@walkingcentraleurope.com how much time you have and how many km you could walk in one day and your preference of places to visit and we will prepare a shorter customized itinerary for you. Sometimes it is not possible to meet all our requirements, due to logistical reason, in which case we try to find alternatives. Though this is possible only in case of self-guided tours on the routes our tours cover.
I´m concerned about my physical condition. Will I be fit enough for the tour?
We rate our tours as Easy, Moderate and Challenging.
Easy – the terrain profile is mostly flat. Inexperienced hikers can easily do it.
Moderate – there is a hilly terrain together with less demanding flat parts on the route; 1 or 2 more challenging days. The route is suitable for recreational hikers.
Challenging – only 1 or 2 easy days; the rest of the route is demanding in terms of terrain. The route is suitable for well-trained recreational hikers or accomplished sports enthusiasts, who will enjoy the challenge.
Before you choose particular tour, we recommend you to check out the route profile and the detailed tour itinerary to make sure that you would be able to manage. We also recommend you to practice as there is a difference between being fit and being a fit hiker.
As a woman traveling on my own, is there anything I should be worried about?
No, you will be even safer than usual – you will spend the most of the time in rural areas with very low crime rate. Of course you will have to take precautions in cities, as usual. In case of needs you can call us 24/7, using a mobile phone we will supply you with, as a part of our support services for self-guided tours.
Do restaurants in Central Europe have vegetarian choices on the menu?
Central European cuisine is quite meat-heavy, though most restaurants offer vegetarian options. It is just advisable to say that you are vegetarian, because some dishes may contain meat and you might not recognize it from the menu. In your tour information material there are some information about the meals and vegetarian options.
What is the most convenient time to go?
Our tours are being arranged from the beginning of April till the end of October. Generally speaking, each month has its pros and cons; personally we think that May and September are the best times to do the tour in our region, but the other months also have their charm. You can expect ideal sunny weather in spring and hot summer, however you should also count on some rain so you should take your rain gear with you in any case.
Do people speak English in Central Europe?
You can count on your bilingual guide on guided tour. For people going self-guided, we include basic, useful phrases in the tour information materials. We recommend you to bring a phrasebook as people anywhere in the world always love and appreciate when you try to communicate in their own language. The number of people learning English in Central Europe is increasing, but it can happen that communication as such fails, in which case miming, pointing and above all – smiling, always help.
What are the differences between a guided and a self-guided walking tour?
Please check the table below to see which services are included in both guided and self-guided walking tours. It is not possible to break up the services.
Service | Self-guided / Guided |
Accommodation in selected hotels and pensions | Yes Yes |
Luggage transfer | Yes Yes |
Buffet breakfast | Yes Yes |
Welcome briefing upon arrival | Yes Yes |
Transportation by car according to program | Yes Yes |
English route descriptions | Yes Yes |
Detailed hiking maps with route highlighted | Yes Yes |
Town maps | Yes Yes |
Global Positioning System (GPS) console | Yes Yes |
Stand-by support: cell phone rental and contact person | Yes No |
Support van | No Yes |
Dinner | No Yes |
Private guided tours at chateaux, castles, museums and other select attractions | No Yes |
Special events, including wine tasting and picnics | No Yes |
Professional bilingual guide | No Yes |
Do you offer group discounts?
We offer a 10% discount if you bring together a group of 10+ people, assuming you book directly with us.
Do you have discounts for repeat customers?
If you have toured with us anytime in the past, and booked directly with us, we offer you a 10% discount on the tour cost. We will be happy to hear from you again and set another trip up for you.
Self-guided walking tours
What is the extent of your “support service”?
We lend you a mobile phone with at least two numbers of people you call 24/7 in case of need (emergencies, unexpected troubles, language barrier or getting lost). You should feel better on your tour, keeping in mind that you can call us anytime.
How can I find my way along the route on a self-guided tour?
You will have 3 different methods of orienting yourself in the terrain on our self-guided walking tours.
• Detailed route notes including verbal descriptions of the trail itself from waypoint to waypoint plus practical information about the places you will visit
• Detailed maps with your route marked, maps of the towns and villages you’ll be staying in or touring, with your accommodation or other important locations (train stations, etc.) marked
• A simple GPS console with programmed route
What happens if I cannot complete the walking each day?
We recommend you to choose carefully which tour suits your ability the best. Also you should practice and prepare for the terrain and any possible weather. You can ask us about all of this and we will help and advise. If the weather is really terrible of in case of any unfortunate circumstances preventing you from competing the walking, you can go with the car arranging the luggage transfer in the morning. You can take this only a standby solution.
What is the reason for a 15% tour supplement for a solo traveller on a self-guided tour?
We calculate our tour cost for a minimum of two people (the car and luggage transfers). If you go solo on a self-guided tour, you have to pay more to compensate for the extra person not going. This is in addition to the single room supplement.
Guided walking tours
How large are your group sizes?
Our groups are usually quite small, not more than 10 people or so. We arrange our guided tours for at least 4 people.
What happens if not enough people sign up to the tour?
We always try to come up with a solution. One option is going on the same tour self-guided, while we would refund the cost difference. Also you can pay extra and have the guided tour anyway. Or we can advise you on another guided tours going around the time of your originally chosen tour. Finally, if none of these solutions work, we will refund you money you have paid to us.
Are your guides local?
Our professional, bilingual guides are locals with perfect English. Our guides are enthusiastic and well-educated, they can supply you with loads of information about the history, cultural background of particular country and many other stuff, and above all, they are happy to answer any of your possible questions.
I see breakfast and dinner are included – what do we do about lunch?
Lunch might be in the form of picnic or at a good restaurant or pub, recommended by your guide.
I am a slow hiker. Will I have to walk at the pace of the group?
Not at all. All participants are provided with English route descriptions and maps so you have a flexibility and need not feel any pressure – you can go ahead or stay longer at a particular point of interest. You can set a time and certain point of meeting with your guide.
Can I do a guided tour outside of the dates on your website?
We arrange a private guided tours for groups of 4 or more people and you can pick any date you like. Just get in touch with us – info@topbicycle.com and we can discuss all the details of your trip. The cost will be the same per person as the cost of the guided tour on our scheduled dates.
Do you have any dates of scheduled guided tours available for next year?
We update our guided tour dates from October to December for the following year. Just get in touch with us – info@topbicycle.com and we will send you an email once our dates are set.
Payment and Reservation
How do I sign up to a tour?
You can book directly with us or through one our global partners.
How can I send you my completed reservation form?
If you reserve your tour online then you will fill out an online reservation form and click a
button to send it to us. We also have a PDF reservation form you can download, print out, fill in and either post, fax or scan and email to us.
Do you require a tour deposit?
Yes, this is 100 EUR per person. You can pay this by check, bank transfer or online by
credit card on our 3-D Secure payment gateway.
When do you require the final payment of the tour?
We require the whole tour balance to be paid 45 days before the start of the tour.
You can read up more in our Terms & Conditions.
Is it OK if my other friends sign up to the tour later?
Yes, however we will usually hold from reserving the accommodation until everyone has
signed up. It is easier for us to reserve the accommodation “in one go”. Other people have until 45 days before the tour starts to sign up. This is the time when the final balance must be paid.
What currency can I use when paying via 3-D Secure payment gateway?
You can make your payments in Euros (EUR), US Dollars (USD), British Pounds (GBP) or Czech Koruna (CZK). If your currency is different from one of the above you need to make a conversion to EUR. You will find the current exchange rate on the xe.com currency converter website. Use this website to make the currency conversion because it is continuously updated with the latest rates. The final exchange rate will be made by your bank.
I am having trouble paying by card on the 3-D Secure payment gateway. Any
help?
Apologies that things are not working. Below the steps of the payment process are explained in detail. Feel free to give us a call or tell us when we can call you. We can also do this transaction with you over the phone. Doing the transaction over the phone will not work if you are a member of the Verified by Visa or MasterCard SecureCode program as additional security information from you will be queried that we should not know.
Basic steps for a successful payment by credit card on our 3-D Secure online payment
gateway.
1) Enter the amount with no punctuation marks into the “amount” box. Round it up or down to the nearest whole number (just whole numbers, no punctuation marks, no decimals, e.g. 1190).
2) You will then be redirected from our website to a secure site of GPE to enter your card information. After clicking “Pay” please wait. Do not press the refresh or back buttons.
3) You may be directed to the Verified by Visa or MasterCard Secure Code site to enter the card password if you are a member of these programs. After you do that, you will be
redirected back to our website. Please click “yes” if a message pops up asking if you would like to continue to a non-secure site (you are coming from the secure credit card site to our non-secure site). You will get a “payment successful” message.
4) After you do the transaction, you will get an automatic email from root@topbicycle.com confirming that the payment was successful (as well as the obvious message on our website). Please check your Spam folder for this message if you do not see it because some email filters count automatically generated emails as Spam.